UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PUBLICATIONS 

COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 

BERKELEY,  CALIFORNIA 


THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN 

CALIFORNIA,  WITH  SPECIAL 

REFERENCE  TO  THEIR 

DISEASES 


BY 

STANLEY  S.  ROGERS 


BULLETIN  No.  239 

Berkeley,  CaL,  June,  1913 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PRESS 

BERKELEY 

1913 


CONTEXTS 

PAGE 

Acknowledgements 591 

The  Art  of  Handling  Tomatoes  from  Seed  Bed  to  Harvest  591 

Seed  Selection  591 

Seed  Beds  592 

Field  Culture  593 

Harvesting 595 

Market    Requirements 598 

Cost  of  Production  and  Profits  598 

Varieties 599 

Diseases  of  the  Tomato 600 

Damping  Off  in  Seed  Bed  600 

Failure  to  Set  Fruit  600 

Late  or  Winter  Blight  602 

Blossom  End  Rot 605 

Root  Knot 607 

Anthracnose  or  Ripe  Rot  610 

Leaf  Spot 610 

Sunburn    __ 612 

Summer  Blight   or  Wilt 612 

The  History  of  the  Tomato  Industry  615 

Growth  of  the  Tomato  Industry  in  the  United  States  615 

Tomato  Industry  in  California  616 

The  Fresh  Tomato  Industry 616 


THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 

WITH  SPECIAL  EEFERENCE  TO 

THEIR  DISEASES* 


BY 

STANLEY  S.  ROGERS 


THE    ART    OF    HANDLING    TOMATOES    FROM    SEED 
BED    TO   HARVEST 

Seed  Selection 

As  the  climatic  conditions  under  which  this  crop  is  grown  and  the 
methods  by  which  it  is  marketed  are  variable,  no  one  type  of  tomato 
will  be  ideal  in  every  tomato  growing  section  of  the  United  States  or 
of  this  State. 

In  extremely  hot  localities,  such  as  portions  of  the  interior  of  Cali- 
fornia, a  plant  having  a  dense  foliage  is  more  desirable  than  in  the 
cooler  regions  along  the  coast.  Early  maturing,  highly  colored  fruit 
is  more  important  for  the  early  spring  market  than  for  the  cannery. 
There  are  many  local  conditions  which  determine  the  most  desirable 
qualities,  so  that  each  grower  should  study  the  type  which  is  closest 
to  his  ideal.  Before  selecting  the  seeds  it  is  very  essential  to  have 
a  written  description  of  the  ideal  plant,  giving  in  detail  the  character 
of  the  vine  and  fruit.  When  the  work  of  selection  is  begun  this  descrip- 
tion should  be  taken  into  the  field,  and  those  vines  which  correspond 
most  closely  to  it  should  be  marked,  remembering  that  the  character 
of  the  plant  as  a  whole  should  be  considered  and  not  the  character  of 
a  few  of  the  individual  tomatoes.  Much  better  results  will  be  obtained 
by  selecting  seed  from  a  vine  upon  which  a  large  percent  of  the  toma- 
toes are  uniformly  good  than  from  a  vine  bearing  a  few  excellent 
tomatoes  and  the  remainder  below  the  average.    In  selecting  for  earli- 


*  The  writer  here  expresses  his  appreciation  of  the  assistance  rendered  by  many 
of  the  tomato  growers  throughout  the  State,  and  especially  of  the  services  of 
Mr.  Fred  Davenpeck  at  San  Jose,  and  Mr.  William  Hodges  at  San  Leandro, 
both  of  the  California  Fruit  Canners  Association.  Valuable  assistance  was  also 
rendered  by  Dr.  J.  E.  Coit  in  the  preparation  of  the  outline  of  this  bulletin, 
and  Mr.  C.  O.  Smith  by  whom  most  of  the  photographs  were  taken. 

[591] 


592  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

ness  it  is  not  necessary  to  save  seed  from  the  first  ripe  tomatoes,  but 
the  vine  should  be  marked  so  that  seed  can  be  saved  from  it  later  in 
the  season  when  the  fruit  is  worth  less  in  the  markets.  The  seed  from 
each  vine  should  be  kept  separate,  carefully  dried,  numbered,  and  a 
detailed  description  made  of  the  plant  from  which  it  comes.  The  fol- 
lowing year,  plant  seed  enough  to  grow  50  to  100  plants  from  each 
lot  and  set  these  plants  in  blocks  and  number  the  blocks.  During 
the  season  more  or  less  irregularity  in  the  plants  will  be  noted,  some 
will  be  superior,  while  others  will  be  inferior  to  the  plant  from  which 
the  seeds  were  obtained.  Select  seeds  from  these  new  plants  in  the 
manner  employed  the  previous  year.  By  repeating  this  method  of 
selecting  seed  for  a  few  years  a  fixed  strain  is  developed  which  should 
be  far  superior  to  the  original.  After  the  second  year  of  selection. 
it  will  pay  the  grower  to  plant  his  own  seed,  although  the  longer  the 
selection  is  carried  on  the  better  will  be  the  results.  Much  has  already 
been  accomplished  along  this  line,  securing  increased  yields  and  a 
better  type  of  fruit  and  vine,  for  there  are  but  few  plants  which 
respond  so  quickly  to  seed  selection  and  crossing  as  the  tomato. 

Seed  Beds:  Their  Preparation,  Planting  and  Care 

There  are  three  methods  used  in  this  state  for  growing  tomato  seed- 
lings. Those  who  are  raising  tomatoes  for  the  early  spring  markets 
usually  grow  their  young  plants  in  hot  beds.  The  growers  who  depend 
upon  the  late  summer  or  fall  markets  and  upon  the  canneries  for  the 
consumption  of  their  crop  generally  grow  their  young  plants  in  cold 
frames,  or  in  the  open. 

When  the  hot  bed  or  cold  frame  is  used  the  seed  is  sown  in  drills 
three  to  six  inches  apart,  sowing  four  to  six  seeds  to  the  inch  and 
covering  with  one-eighth  to  one-quarter  of  an  inch  of  sand.  After  the 
soil  has  been  thoroughly  watered,  cover  with  burlap,  cloth,  or  light 
canvas  until  the  seedlings  begin  to  break  through  the  surface.  When 
the  seedlings  have  grown  their  true  leaves,  thin  to  a  distance  of  three 
to  five  inches.  The  latter  distance  is  preferable  if  they  are  not  to  be 
transplanted  before  setting  in  the  field.  Many  growers  sow  the  seed 
in  flats  and  transplant  to  the  hot  bed  or  cold  frame  when  the  plants 
have  grown  their  first  true  leaves.  This  method  will  produce  much 
stronger  and  larger  plants  than  if  they  are  not  transplanted  before 
setting  in  the  field;  and  it  is  strongly  advocated. 

When  the  crop  is  grown  for  the  canneries  or  for  the  late  fall  mar- 
ket the  seed  is  not  usually  planted  until  April.  At  this  season  the 
weather  is  so  mild  that  the  seedlings  can  be  grown  unprotected  in  the 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA  593 

open.  In  selecting  the  location  for  the  seed  bed  only  well  drained,  light 
soil,  well  sheltered  from  the  cold  winds  should  be  used.  The  soil  should 
first  be  put  into  as  fine  a  condition  as  possible  and  the  seed  planted 
in  rows  two  and  one-half  to  three  feet  apart.  This  distance  is  neces- 
sary to  enable  the  grower  to  irrigate,  cultivate,  and  remove  the  plants 
with  the  least  amount  of  work.  Under  certain  conditions  it  will  pay 
the  grower  to  start  the  seed  in  flats  and  transplant  the  seedlings  to 
the  field,  especially  if  the  soil  in  the  latter  is  heavy  and  difficult  to 
pulverize. 

Watering  the  Young  Plants. — The  method  of  watering  the  young 
plants  has  a  large  influence  upon  their  growth  and  condition..  Over- 
watering  tends  to  produce  weak  or  diseased  plants  while  if  the  amount 
of  water  is  insufficient  the  growth  is  seriously  checked.  The  plants 
themselves  are  the  best  indicators  when  water  is  needed  and  it  is 
always  best  to  water  liberally,  rather  than  to  apply  a  small  amount 
often.  Water  in  the  morning  so  as  to  allow  the  surface  of  the  ground 
and  the  tops  of  the  plants  to  become  dry  before  night.  During  cloudy 
or  foggy  weather  do  not  water  unless  absolutely  necessary.  By  vary- 
ing the  amount  of  water,  the  growth  of  the  plants  can  be  controlled 
to  a  large  extent.  Watering  should  be  stopped  a  week  or  so  before 
the  seedlings  are  to  be  transplanted.  This  will  aid  in  hardening  them 
off  and  they  will  withstand  transplanting  much  better  than  if  their 
stems  are  full  of  sap.  A  few  hours  before  the  plants  are  taken  up, 
the  ground  should  be  thoroughly  watered  so  that  the  earth  will  adhere 
more  readily  to  the  roots.  A  week  or  ten  days  before  the  plants  are  to 
be  pulled  the  cover  of  the  hot  bed  or  cold  frame  should  be  raised  a 
little,  increasing  the  opening  from  day  to  day  and  entirely  removing 
the  cover  a  few  days  before  the  plants  are  to  be  set  in  the  field. 

Field  Culture 

Soils  Adapted  to  Tomato  Growing. — There  is  probably  no  other 
vegetable  that  will  thrive  on  as  many  different  kinds  of  soil  as  the 
tomato.  When  growing  this  crop  for  the  early  spring  or  late  fall 
markets,  a  lighter  soil  is  desirable  than  when  growing  the  main  canning 
crop.  Probably  the  best  soil,  all  things  considered,  is  a  light  loam  or 
silt  underlaid  at  a  depth  of  four  to  six  feet  by  a  clay  loam.  A  soil 
of  this  character  works,  irrigates  and  drains  easily  and  is  warm  in 
the  early  spring  and  late  fall.  In  a  soil  which  is  too  heavy  and  over 
rich  in  nitrogen  the  growth  of  plants  often  goes  to  vine  at  the  expense 
of  the  fruit.  A  soil  which  is  too  light  will  produce  small  plants  and 
a  light  crop. 


594  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Preparation  of  the  Fields. — In  preparing  the  land  for  planting, 
fall  plowing  as  deep  as  possible  is  practised  with  good  results  by  many 
of  the  leading  tomato  growers.  This  enables  the  soil  to  retain  much 
of  the  winter  rains  and  lessens  the  work  in  the  spring.  A  few  weeks 
before  planting,  the  field  should  be  replowed  and  thoroughly  cultivated 
to  kill  the  weeds.  The  surface  should  be  pulverized  and  made  into 
a  fine  mulch  to  conserve  the  moisture  as  much  as  possible.  Just  pre- 
vious to  planting,  the  field  is  marked  off  both  ways  to  show  the  location 
of  the  plants.  In  fields  which  are  to  be  irrigated,  furrows  are  plowed 
and  the  plants  are  set  in  them  so  that  the  marker  is  used  in  only  one 
direction.  When  planting  in  an  orchard  the  cross  marking  is  some- 
times unnecessary  as  the  planter  can  be  guided  by  the  rows  of  trees. 

Transplanting  from  Seed  Bed  to  Field. — A  few  hours  before  the 
plants  are  to  be  removed  from  the  seed  bed,  the  soil  should  be  thor- 
oughly saturated  with  water.  The  plants  should  be  taken  up  in  such 
a  manner  that  their  root  systems  are  disturbed  as  little  as  possible, 
either  by  digging  with  a  trowel  or  shovel,  or  pulling  them  up  by 
grasping  the  stems.  The  first  method  is  preferable,  for  the  extra  time 
involved  is  more  than  offset  by  the  rapidity  with  which  the  plants 
begin  to  grow,  due  to  the  preservation  of  many  small  roots  which 
would  have  been  broken  off  by  rough  handling.  The  plants  should 
be  hauled  immediately  to  the  field  and  reset  as  soon  as  possible.  Care 
should  be  taken  not  to  expose  the  roots  to  the  air.  or  allow  them  to 
dry  out. 

After  the  field  has  been  put  into  the  best  possible  tilth  and  marked 
off,  it  is  ready  for  the  plants.  In  the  fields  where  it  is  possible  to 
irrigate,  the  plants  are  usually  set  in  the  furrows  by  the  aid  of  a 
dibble  while  the  water  is  running  down  them.  If  the  land  is  so  uneven 
that  there  is  danger  of  washing  the  earth  from  the  roots,  the  plants 
should  not  be  set  until  the  water  has  run  off.  The  depth  to  which 
the  plants  are  set  varies  somewhat,  according  to  their  size  and  the 
character  and  condition  oi  the  soil,  but  they  should  be  planted  a  few 
inches  deeper  than  they  were  in  the  seed  bed.  In  fields  which  are 
impossible  to  irrigate,  the  plants  are  set  in  holes  made  by  a  dibble 
and  water  is  hauled  onto  the  field,  giving  each  plant  enough  to  start 
it  well.  If  the  plants  are  too  tall  and  slender  it  will  pay  to  cut  the 
tops  back.  After  the  field  has  been  set  for  a  week  or  ten  days  the 
plants  should  be  examined  and  all  those  which  have  failed  to  start 
pulled  up  and  others  put  in  their  places. 

When  growing  tomatoes  for  t/he  canneries  and  general  market,  the 
plants  are  usually  set  seven  feet  apart,  in  rows  which  are  seven  feet 
apart.    When  grown  for  the  early  spring  market,  the  plants  are  usually 


BULLETIN  239]         THE  CULTljRE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA  595 

set  closer  together.  The  character  of  the  soil  has  much  to  do  with 
the  proper  spacing,  as  planting  is  closer  on  light  sandy  soil  than  on 
adobe.  The  variety  to  be  grown  should  also  be  considered  in  this  con- 
nection. Small  vine  varieties,  such  as  Sparks  Earliana,  should  be 
planted  closer  than  rank  growing  varieties,  such  as  the  Stone  or 
Trophy.  The  quantity  of  available  water  might  also  influence  the 
proper  spacing. 

Cultivation. — Thorough  and  frequent  cultivation  when  the  plants 
are  small  will  save  a  good  deal  of  hand  hoeing  at  the  latter  part  of 
the  season.  Cultivation  should  commence  as  soon  as  possible  after  the 
field  has  been  planted,  and  should  be  repeated  as  often  as  necessary 
to  keep  the  soil  friable  and  the  growth  of  weeds  down.  The  soil  should 
always  be  thoroughly  cultivated  after  each  irrigation.  If  it  is  im- 
possible to  irrigate,  much  moisture  can  be  retained  in  the  soil  by 
forming  a  fine  mulch  on  the  surface. 

Irrigation. — The  exact  number  of  irrigations  which  a  field  should 
receive  is  dependent  upon  the  character  of  the  soil,  climatic  conditions, 
the  season  of  year,  care  of  the  plants,  and  other  minor  factors. 
Enough  water  should  be  applied  to  keep  the  plants  growing  steadily ; 
the  soil  should  be  wet  each  time  to  a  depth  of  four  to  six  feet.  Over- 
irrigation  will  tend  to  produce  growth  of  vine  at  the  expense  of  the 
fruit,  and  is  often  the  cause  of  blossom  dropping  and  of  soft,  watery 
fruit.  Enough  water  should  be  applied  while  the  plants  are  growing 
so  that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  irrigate  after  the  crop  has  begun 
to  ripen.    The  water  should  be  run  in  furrows  between  the  rows. 

Harvesting 

There  is  no  other  fruit  or  vegetable  which  can  be  so  easily  injured 
from  careless  handling  as  the  tomato.  From  the  time  the  fruit  is 
picked  until  it  is  sold,  all  unnecessary  handling  should  be  avoided,  for 
the  skin  is  very  easily  broken.  When  picking,  care  should  be  taken 
to  disturb  the  vines  as  little  as  possible,  pulling  off  the  fruit  in  such 
manner  that  the  stems  are  left  on  the  vines.  It  is  better  to  pick  into 
a  box  or  pail  rather  than  a  basket.  The  most  desirable  degree  of  ripe- 
ness for  the  fruit  when  picked  depends  upon  the  proximity  to  the 
market.  Much  loss  can  be  avoided  if  the  over-ripe,  wormy  and  other 
undesirable  tomatoes  are  pulled  off  the  vines,  thrown  in  piles  and 
burned  on  the  field.  The  same  care  should  be  exercised  whether  pick- 
ing for  market  or  cannery,  though  the  latter  can  use  fruit  coarser  and 
riper  than  is  desired  for  the  market.  Many  pickers  become  careless, 
and  the  growers  should  examine  as  much  of  the  fruit  as  possible 
before  it  has  been  hauled  to  the  cannery. 


596  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Packing  for  Long  Distance  Shipments. — On  account  of  the  excel- 
lent opportunities  for  growing  tomatoes  to  mature  in  the  late  fall 
and  winter,  in  the  many  nearly  frostless  sections  of  the  southern  part 
of  the  State,  there  has  developed  a  promising  industry  which  is  fast 
becoming  one  of  California's  most  profitable  enterprises.  Since  this 
winter  crop  is  shipped  as  far  as  Boston,  Canada,  and  New  Orleans, 
the  success  of  the  industry  depends  largely  upon  the  condition  of  the 
fruit  when  picked  and  the  careful  handling  of  it  from  the  time  it  leaves 
the  vines  until  it  is  sold  in  the  markets.  Fresh  tomatoes  are  scarce 
in  the  east  at  this  season,  and  this  California  product  finds  a  ready 
sale  providing  it  arrives  in  good  condition. 

After  the  fruit  has  been  picked  it  is  packed  firmly  in  lug  boxes, 
each  holding  about  35  pounds,  hauled  to  the  packing  house  as  soon 
as  possible,  put  on  trucks,  weighed,  and  carried  to  the  sorting  tables. 
Here  each  tomato  is  carefully  examined,  special  attention  being  paid 
to  the  size,  color,  shape  and  firmness.  Those  which  are  up  to  the 
standard  are  wrapped  in  tissue  paper  and  firmly  packed  in  five  pound 
baskets,  four  of  which  fill  a  crate.  When  a  crate  is  packed,  the  cover 
is  nailed  on  and  it  is  loaded  into  a  car.  An  average  car  holds  about 
700  crates.  The  fruit  is  packed  in  these  baskets  by  women  and  as  this 
careful  sorting  of  the  fruit  means  the  success  or  failure  of  the  business, 
the  packers  are  very  closely  watched.  A  single  green  or  over-ripe 
tomato  can  easily  spoil  the  basket  or  even  crate.  No  tomato  which 
shows  a  bruise  or  soft  spot  is  packed,  for  the  skin  will  easily  become 
broken  and  decay  will  soon  start. 

In  order  to  handle  this  crop  profitably,  a  thorough  knoAvledge  is 
needed  of  the  conditions  prevailing  in  the  leading  markets  throughout 
the  United  States,  and  also  of  the  supply  which  is  ready  for  ship- 
ment on  the  western  coast. 

On  this  account,  in  each  section  in  which  a  considerable  acreage 
is  planted  to  winter  tomatoes,  there  has  been  formed  an  association 
composed  of  tomato  growers.  Each  year  this  association  elects  officers 
which  are  generally  among  the  leading  growers  in  each  community. 
These  men  look  after  the  interests  of  the  association  as  a  whole,  and 
of  the  individual  growers.  At  the  beginning  of  the  season,  each  mem- 
ber is  given  a  number,  and  the  amount  of  fruit  delivered  throughout 
the  season  by  him  is  kept  on  the  books  of  the  association.  Their  selling 
agent  deals  with  the  association  as  a  unit  and  not  with  the  individual 
growers.  This  works  favorably,  as  all  the  fruit  which  is  accepted  for 
shipment  by  the  association  must  be  up  to  the  same  standard.  The 
final  destination  of  a  car  is  generally  known  before  it  leaves  the  pack- 
ing house.     The  net  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  the  car  of  tomatoes  are 


Bulletin  239]        THE  culture  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 


597 


■L 

,.v|sf8§§ 

££ 

™mak "     ' 

■*11 

tgF 

i !"  i  ! 

f  jj 

I     k  -' 

^|-i| 

. 

Tig.  1. — Tomato  packing  house:  The  tomatoes  are  taken  from  the  field 
directly  to  these  houses  where  they  are  weighed,  carefully  sorted  and  packed  in 
crates  for  shipment. 


Fig.  2. — Empty  crate  and  one  packed  for  long  distance  shipment:  Each  tomato 
is  wrapped  and  it  is  very  important  that  they  should  be  free  from  injuries  and 
imperfections  and  uniform,  and  that  they  be  firmly  packed. 


598  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

divided  pro  rata  among  the  growers  whose  fruit  it  contained.  As  the 
tomatoes  must  be  of  a  very  high  quality  for  shipping  there  are  many 
which  are  undesirable  and  yet  are  perfectly  sound.  These  are  sold 
to  a  cannery  and  each  contributing  growTer  is  given  due  credit. 

Market  Requirements 

It  has  been  said  that  Americans  eat  with  their  eyes  and  the  tomato 
market  illustrates  this.  In  other  words,  a  tomato  which  is  highly 
colored  and  well  shaped  will  outsell  one  which  has  rather  a  dull  color 
and  is  not  quite  as  symmetrical,  even  if  the  latter  is  much  superior 
in  flavor  and  solid  meat.  In  growing  tomatoes  for  shipment  it  is 
always  best  to  study  the  demands  of  the  market  and  meet  them  as 
nearly  as  possible.  The  requirements  of  the  various  markets  are  some- 
what different,  but  in  California  the  demand  is  for  a  smooth,  solid, 
medium  sized,  highly  colored,  round  tomato,  which  contains  as  little 
water  and  few  seeds  as  possible. 

The  ideal  canning  tomato  varies  little  from  the  kind  best  suited 
for  the  market,  but  the  most  desirable  size  is  a  little  larger. 

Cost  of  Production  and  Profits 

It  is  impossible  to  give  the  exact  profits  which  should  be  realized 
from  growing  this  crop,  for  they  are  extremely  variable  and  depend 
upon  the  grower  and  his  local  conditions.  The  cost  of  producing  an 
acre  of  tomatoes  ranges  from  $25  to  $45,  depending  largely  upon  the 
soil,  location,  season  of  the  year,  the  grower,  and  other  factors.  The 
average  cost  would  be  from  $32  to  $40  per  acre  not  including  the 
hauling  to  market. 

The  prices  received  vary  with  the  season.  Generally  for  the  local 
markets  the  spring  and  early  winter  crops  command  the  highest  prices. 
Growers  who  market  their  crops  in  the  early  spring  often  realize  a 
gross  profit  of  from  $75  to  $150  per  acre.  Those  who  harvest  the  crop 
during  the  late  spring  or  summer  usually  get  a  gross  profit  of  from 
$35  to  $75  per  acre,  while  those  who  are  growing  the  late  fall  crop 
get  between  $100  and  $200,  gross,  per  acre.  These  figures  represent 
a  very  general  average,  for  many  of  the  more  skilled  growers  exceed 
these  estimates.  The  average  yield  of  tomatoes  grown  for  the  canneries 
is  about  10  tons  per  acre,  although  the  yields  obtained  by  many  of 
the  more  successful  growers,  are  as  high  as  20  to  25  tons  per  acre. 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CULTURE  OE1  TOMxVTOES  IN  CALIFORNIA  599 

Varieties 

On  account  of  the  extremely  wide  range  in  climatic  conditions  to 
be  found  in  this  State  it  is  possible  to  grow  any  of  the  many  tomatoes 
listed  in  the  seed  catalogues. 

The  varieties  which,  at  present,  are  most  popular  in  various  tomato 
growing  sections  of  this  State  are  Stone,  Trophy,  Sparks  Earliana. 
and  a  few  local  selections. 

St  one. ^-The  general  favorite  on  the  market.  In  southern  Cali- 
fornia it  is  grown  both  for  the  market  and  canneries,  while  in  Alameda 
and  Santa  Clara  Counties  it  is  grown  mostly  for  the  former.  Vine 
growth  is  luxuriant,  so  that  this  variety  is  especially  desirable  where 
climatic  conditions  require  the  fruit  to  be  well  shaded.  The  vines  are 
heavy  bearers  when  well  cared  for  and  given  sufficient  water.  The 
fruit  is  highly  colored,  smooth,  firm,  and  especially  desirable  for 
long  distance  shipment.  Although  this  is  a  very  popular  variety  there 
is  room  for  improvement  through  careful  seed  selection.  It  is  not 
an  early  bearer. 

Trophy. — Grown  in  San  Francisco  bay  region  mainly  for  canning 
purposes.  The  vine  is  a  vigorous  grower  and  heavy  bearer.  The  fruit 
is  large,  but  too  rough  for  sale  on  the  markets,  well  colored,  but  not 
as  firm  as  the  Stone.  This  variety  has  deteriorated  in  quality,  due 
largely  to  carelessness  in  collecting  seed. 

Sparks  Earliana. — Grown  only  for  the  market  and  valuable  mainly 
on  account  of  its  earliness  in  maturing.  Vine  growth  is  much  smaller 
than  in  either  of  the  preceding  varieties.  The  fruit  sunburns  badly 
and  is  not  a  very  good  shipper,  but  is  well  colored,  medium  sized  and 
round.    It  is  highly  recommended  for  the  early  spring  markets. 

Local  Varieties. — There  are  growers  in  this  State  who  save  their 
own  seed  from  year  to  year,  and  in  several  of  the  larger  tomato  grow- 
ing sections  a  few  local  selections  have  been  made.  Among  the  most 
important  and  desirable  are  the  Kennedy  and  the  San  Filipo  which 
are  much  alike  and  are  used  extensively  in  Santa  Clara  County  for 
the  canning  crop.  These  selections  are  proving  to  be  much  more  satis- 
factory than  any  sold  by  the  various  seed  companies.  The  vines  are 
large  and  bear  a  heavy  crop  of  well  colored,  well  shaped,  and  firm 
fruit.  They  have  met  with  such  favor  that  a  few  of  the  canneries 
prefer  them  and  carry  this  seed  in  stock  for  the  growers.  The  benefits 
to  be  derived  from  seed  selection  are  taken  up  in  detail  on  pages 
591  and  592. 


600  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

DISEASES  OF  THE  TOMATO 

Damping  Off  in  Seed  Bed 

Cause. — This  disease  is  common  in  the  seed  beds  and  some  years 
occasions  large  losses.  Damping  off  is  due  to  one  or  more  fungi  which 
attack  the  tender  seedlings  at  the  surface  of  the  ground  causing  the 
tops  to  fall.  Upon  microscopic  examination,  the  fungi  Rhizoctonia, 
Fusarium,  Botrytis  and  Sclerotinia  have  been  found  on  the  affected 
plants.  The  disease  generally  affects  the  plants  in  various  portions 
of  the  seed  bed,  and  sometimes  these  infected  areas  enlarge  very 
rapidly  until  the  whole  bed  becomes  worthless. 

Control. — As  the  spores  of  the  fungi  which  cause  damping  off  are 
capable  of  living  in  the  soil  from  one  year  to  another  the  earth  used 
for  the  seed  bed  should  be  changed  each  season.  Water  the  plants, 
if  possible,  only  on  sunny  days,  preferably  in  the  morning,  so  as  to 
allow  the  tops  and  the  surface  of  the  soil  to  dry  rapidly.  Stir  the 
earth  after  each  watering.  Avoid  over-crowding  the  plants.  A  suit- 
able covering  should  be  made  to  protect  the  bed  from  rain  and  fog. 
Ventilate  the  seed  bed  as  well  as  possible  and  keep  the  plants  thrifty. 
When  they  are  commencing  to  grow  their  true  leaves,  spray  with 
Bordeaux  mixture,  using  3  pounds  of  bluest-one  and  4  pounds  of  lime 
to  50  gallons  of  water.  This  will  not  only  help  to  keep  the  damping 
off  in  check  but  will  keep  the  plants  free  from  attacks  of  other  fungi. 
If  this  disease  has  already  started,  spray  immediately  with  Bordeaux 
mixture,  scatter  flowers  of  sulphur  around  the  plants  and  dry  out 
the  earth  as  much  as  possible  without  seriously  injuring  them.  If  the 
disease  is  still  uncontrolled  let  the  bed  go  and  start  a  new  one.  using 
clean  soil.   (  Fig.  3.) 

Failure  to  Set  Fruit 

Cause. — Tomato  growers  are  often  troubled  by  the  blossoms  drop- 
ping from  the  vines  and  although  the  plants  grow  luxuriantly,  very 
little  fruit  sets.  This  infertile  condition  of  the  blossoms  is  generally 
due  either  to  unfavorable  climatic  conditions  at  the  time  the  blossoms 
are  forming,  or  to  the  character  of  the  soil.  Any  weather  condition, 
such  as  rain,  cold  or  heavy  fog,  which  interferes  with  the  scattering 
of  the  pollen  seriously  affects  the  setting  of  the  fruit.  If  the  blossoms 
open  during  extremely  hot.  dry  weather  they  are  liable  to  burn. 

Another  common  cause  for  the  failure  to  set  fruit  is  an  over-supply 
of  nitrogen  in  the  soil.     This  mav  be  a  natural  condition,  or  mav  be 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CUlture  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 


601 


due  to  heavy  applications  of  stable  manure  or  commercial  nitrogenous 
fertilizers.  Over-irrigation  when  the  blossoms  are  forming  often 
causes  them  to  drop. 


Fig.  3. — Damping  off  of  tomato  seedlings:  This  disease  may  be  caused  by 
several  fungi  which  are  particularly  liable  to  become  active  when  there  is  an 
excess  of  moisture. 


Control. — If  unfavorable  weather  conditions  cause  the  blossoms  to 
fall,  the  time  of  planting  might  be  changed.  Unless  the  soil  is  very 
deficient  in  nitrogen  it  is  generally  better  to  apply  stable  manure  at 
least  one  year  before  growing  tomatoes.  Soil  which  is  naturally  too 
rich  in  nitrogen  for  the  fruit  to  set  well  should  be  avoided.  Do  not 
over-irrigate  when  the  blossoms  are  opening. 


602  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Late  or  Winter  Blight 

The  cause  and  control  of  this  disease  were  explained  and  the 
methods  for  its  control  under  California  conditions  were  demon- 
strated in  1906  by  Professor  R.  E.  Smith,  whose  report  was  pub- 
lished as  Bulletin  No.  175  of  this  Station.  This  bulletin  has  been 
exhausted,  and,  as  the  disease  is  still  prevalent,  it  seems  advisable  to 
give  it  more  than  passing  mention. 

Late  blight  occurs  chiefly  in  the  fall  after  the  seasonal  rains  have 
commenced  and  is  much  more  prevalent  along  the  Coast  than  in  the 
interior  of  the  State.  During  rainy,  or  continuously  foggy  weather, 
it  has  also  been  found  occasionally  in  the  seed  beds. 

Appearance. — This  disease  affects  all  parts  of  the  plant  above 
ground,  making  them  look  as  if  killed  by  frost.  On  the  affected  leaves, 
branches,  and  stalks  there  can  be  seen  small,  blackened  areas  which 
rapidly  grow  in  size  and  number  under  favorable  conditions,  until 
the  whole  plant  soon  blackens  and  dies.  On  the  fruit  appear  dark 
spots  which  also  closely  resemble  the  results  of  frost.  These  spots 
increase  in  size  and  number,  causing  the  tomato  to  decay  very  rapidly. 
Fruit  in  all  stages  of  ripening  is  affected,  and  the  diseased  spots  con- 
tinue to  develop  even  after  an  infected  tomato  is  picked.  Fruit  that 
looks  perfectly  healthy  when  picked  from  an  affected  vine  will  often 
develop  this  blight  after  being  packed. 

Cause.— The  late  blight  is  caused  by  the  fungus  Phytopthora 
infestans  (Mont.)  DeBy,  which  cannot  develop  without  an  abundance 
of  moisture.  Before  the  spots  blacken,  the  fungus  appears  as  a 
delicate  white  mildew  on  the  surface  of  the  affected  fruit  or  vine. 
It  consists  of  masses  of  microscopic  threads  which  grow  into  the  tissue 
of  the  fruit  or  branch,  producing  the  rot,  and  also  send  out  branches 
into  the  air.  On  the  ends  of  these  aerial  filaments  are  formed  the 
spores  of  the  fungus  by  which  the  disease  is  spread.  The  spores  soon 
drop  off  and  are  scattered  by  various  agencies,  such  as  moisture  and 
wind.  The  contents  of  these  spores,  or  sporangia  as  they  are  called, 
divides  into  several  small  swarm  spores,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4,  each  one 
of  which  is  supplied  with  two  tail-like  appendages  called  cilia  by 
which  it  is  able  to  move  about  in  a  drop  of  water.  When  the  swarm 
spores  are  ready  to  escape,  the  spore  opens  up  and  they  come  out, 
swimming  about  for  a  short  time  in  the  surrounding  water.  Finally 
they  come  to  rest,  sprout,  and  if  they  are  situated  on  a  tomato  plant 
and  provided  with  plenty  of  moisture,  the  filaments  grow  into  the 
tissue  and  a  new  infection  is  started. 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CUlturp:  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 


603 


'  Fig.  4. — Spores  or  sporangia  of  Phytoplithora  showing  the  formation  and  sub- 
sequent germination  of  swarm  spores.  The  large  oval  body  at  the  left  is  the 
spore  or  sporangium,  just  above  and  to  the  right  of  this  is  a  spore  showing  the 
contents  dividing  into  swarm  spores,  below  this  the  swarm  spores  are  shown 
escaping  to  swim  about.  In  the  center  at  the  top  is  shown  a  swarm  spore  which 
has  rounded  up,  lost  its  cilia,  and  is  germinating  by  sending  out  a  tube. 


Control. — It  has  been  demonstrated  by  experiments  carried  on 
by  this  Station  and  by  growers  that  it  is  possible  to  keep  this  disease 
in  check  by  spraying  immediately  after  each  rain  storm.  Various 
spraying  materials  have  been  used,  but  the  best  results  were  obtained 
with  Bordeaux  mixture,  using  5  pounds  of  blue  stone  and  5  pounds 
of  lime  to  each  50  gallons  of  water.  It  will  not  usually  be  found  neces- 
sary to  spray  until  after  the  rains  have  commenced.  Fruit  which  has 
become  spotted  by  the  spray  can  be  cleaned  by  wiping  lightly  with  a 
dry  cloth.     (Figs.  5  and  6.) 


604  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT   STATION 


Fig.  5. — Winter  blight  of  tomato  fruit :    A  soft,  rapid  decay  is  produced. 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CUlture  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 


605 


Fig.  6. — Winter  blight  of  tomato  leaf:  Large  brown  spots  form  and  the  leaves 
wither  rapidly. 


Blossom  End  Rot 


Appearance. — This  disease  is  common  in  the  various  tomato  grow- 
ing sections  of  the  State  and  is  often  the  cause  of  large  losses.  The 
blossom  end  rot,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  point  rot,  occurs  only 
on  the  blossom  end  of  the  fruit,  causing  a  brownish  circular  spot  to 
appear,  which  later  becomes  black.  As  the  infection  is  superficial 
the  tissue  underlying  the  affected  area  is  uninjured.  The  spot  soon 
ceases  to  spread  and  in  a  few  days  appears  to  be  sunken,  due  to  the 
growth  of  the  surrounding  healthy  tissue.  The  size  of  the  spots 
varies  from  small  to  very  large,  some  affecting  the  greater  par!;  of 
the  tomato  (fig.  7). 

Cause. — The  direct  cause  of  this  disease  seems  to  be  very  obscure 
and  has  been  the  subject  of  a  great  deal  of  controversy. 


606  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

A  publication  by  Dr.  George  E.  Stone,1  issued  in  1911,  gives  an 
account  of  work  on  this  disease  carried  on  for  sixteen  years.  This 
investigation  indicates  that  bacteria  are  its  active  cause,  while  the 
fungi,  which  are  occasionally  present,  are  of  only  secondary  import- 
ance. The  author  also  states  that  improper  moisture  conditions  tend 
to  make  the  tomatoes  coarse,  ill  shaped,  and  fissured  at  the  blossom 
end,  thus  offering  favorable  conditions  for  the  entrance  of* the  bacteria. 
Other  conditions,  such  as  insufficient  atmospheric  moisture  and  too 
much  sunlight,  also  favor  the  disease. 

Miss  E.  H.  Smith,  in  working  with  Dr.  Stone  on  this  problem  in 
1905, 2  found  that  a  species  of  the  fungus  Fusarium  might  also  be 
responsible  for  the  rot  in  some  cases.  From  inoculation  work  with 
other  bacteria  than  the  one  isolated,  she  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
more  than  one  organism  may  be  instrumental  in  producing  blossom 
end  rots  which  are  very  similar  in  appearance. 


Fig.  7. — Tomatoes  showing  blossom  end  rot:  The  cause  of  this  disease  is  some- 
what obscure,  but  thus  far  remedial  measures  consist  in  giving  good  care  and  not 
allowing  the  plants  to  suffer  for  lack  of  water. 

In  1900  F.  S.  Earle3  and  William  Stuart4  both  reported  a  blossom 
end  rot  of  the  tomato  from  which  they  isolated  bacteria  capable  of 
producing  rot  through  artificial  infection.  The  presence  of  the  fungi 
Macrosporium  and  Fusarium  has  been  noted  by  several  investigators,, 
but  bacteria  seem  to  have  been  found  most  generally  in  connection 
with  this  disease. 

Under  California  conditions  the  trouble  seems  to  be  more  physio- 
logical than  bacterial  or  fungoid,  and  its  appearance  is  dependent 

i  Bulletin  138,  Mass.  Agric.  Exp.  Sta. 

2  Mass.   Agric.  Exp.   Sta.  Technical  Bulletin  No.   3. 

s  Ala.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  No.  108,  1900,  p.  19. 

4  Ind.  Agric.  Exp.  Sta.,  13th   Annual  Eeport,  p.   23. 


BULLETIN  239]         THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA  607 

almost  wholly  upon  the  conditions  under  which  the  crop  is  growing 
and  especially  those  pertaining  to  the  quantity  of  moisture.  The 
blossom  end  rot  occurs  mainly  in  those  fields  in  which  the  plants  are 
without  sufficient  moisture  throughout  the  entire  season,  especially  if 
the  atmosphere  is  dry  and  hot.  Another  condition  which  favors  the 
appearance  of  this  disease  is  that  in  which  the  field  is  allowed  to  become 
too  dry  between  irrigations. 

Control. — Keep  the  plants  growing  steadily.  Irrigate  at  regular 
intervals,  putting  on  a  sufficient  amount  each  time  to  allow  the  water 
to  reach  the  feeding  roots.    Cultivate  thoroughly  after  each  irrigation. 

Root  Knot 

Occasionally  when  tomatoes  are  planted  in  sandy  soil,  many  of 
the  vines  will  suddenly  stop  growing,  turn  a  yellowish  color,  and 
slowly  die.  Upon  examining  the  leaves,  stems,  or  fruit,  no  unnatural 
spots  can  usually  be  detected  and  the  grower  is  led  to  believe  that  the 
soil  is  deficient  in  plant  food. 

Cause. — Upon  pulling  up  these  plants,  many  galls  or  knots  will 
often  be  found  on  their  roots.  These  swellings  are  formed  by  the 
invasion  of  nematode  worms  {Heterodera  radicicola  (Greef)  Mill.) 
into  the  tissues  of  the  roots.  These  minute  worms  which  are  the  cause 
of  the  unhealthy  condition  of  the  plants  are  small,  whitish,  pear-shaped 
bodies  about  the  size  of  a  pin  point  and  can  be  seen  by  cutting  into 
the  galls.  The  worms  affect  the  plant  in  four  ways :  (1)  The  ducts  are 
deranged,  making  it  impossible  for  the  food  and  water  to  pass  to  the 
upper  portions  of  the  plant.  (2)  The  affected  roots  often  crack,  allow- 
ing the  various  pathogenic  soil  fungi  and  bacteria  to  enter,  causing 
decay.  (3)  The  worms  feed  upon  the  substances  of  the  plant.  (4) 
The  plant,  being  weakened,  is  more  susceptible  to  attacks  from  fungi 
or  bacteria. 

Plants  which  are  attacked  by  nematode  worms  usually  die  slowly, 
the  length  of  time  being  dependent  upon  the  number  and  size  of  the 
affected  roots.  If  only  a  few  of  the  roots  are  injured,  the  plants  will 
often  get  sufficient  nourishment  to  live  throughout  the  season. 

Control. — Tomato  plants  may  become  infected  in  the  seed  bed  or 
in  the  field,  and,  as  these  worms  live  in  the  earth  from  year  to  year, 
the  question  of  control  is  one  which  deals  directly  with  the  soil.  When 
removing  the  plants  from  the  seed  bed,  they  should  be  carefully 
examined,  and  all  which  are  diseased  should  be  burned,  for  if  trans- 
planted these  affected  plants  serve  as  centers  by  which  the  whole  field 
may  become  infested.     (Figs.  8  and  9.) 


608  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Fig.  8. — Roots  of  tomato  plants  affected  by  nematode  worms:  The  diseased 
roots  are  at  first  plump  and  light  colored  and  very  succulent,  but  they  early 
commence  to  wither  and  decay. 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 


609 


Fig.  9. — Showing  advanced  stage  of  nematode  infection:  The  root  in  the 
center  is  still  fresh  and  succulent,  while  that  at  the  right  is  decayed  and  much, 
disorganized. 


610  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

The  soil  used  for  seed  beds  should  be  changed  every  year,  and 
should  always  be  taken  from  a  field  which  is  known  to  be  free  from 
these  worms.  When  a  field  becomes  infested  there  are  three  methods 
of  control  which  may  be  employed,  the  choice  depending  largely  upon 
the  local  conditions.  ( 1 )  Desiccation :  thoroughly  drying  out  the  soil 
will  control  these  worms.  The  climate  of  California,  on  account  of  the 
long  dry  summers,  is  especially  adapted  to  this  treatment.  (2)  Plant- 
ing a  crop  which  is  very  susceptible  to  nematode  infection  and  plowing 
it  up  and  burning  it  after  the  worms  have  deposited  their  eggs  but 
before  they  have  hatched.  (3)  Growing  a  crop  upon  which  these 
worms  cannot  feed. 

Anthracnose  or  Ripe  Rot 

Appearance. — This  disease  is  found  occasionally  on  ripe  tomatoes, 
but  the  loss  from  it  is  very  small.  Infected  fruit  is  spotted  with  black 
circular  areas,  generally  on  the  shady  side  of  the  tomato.  The  spot 
is  similar  in  appearance  to  that  of  the  blossom  end  rot,  though  it  affects 
the  fruit  at  no  special  place. 

Cause. — Several  fungi  have  been  found  closely  associated  with  this 
rot,  and  its  exact  nature  is  not  yet  fully  understood. 

Control. — Burn  all  affected  fruit.  If  the  disease  becomes  serious, 
spray  immediately  with  Bordeaux  mixture,  using  5  pounds  of  blue 
stone  and  6  pounds  of  lime  to  50  gallons  of  water. 


Leaf  Spot 

This  disease  is  found  occasionally  in  the  seed  beds  in  California, 
but  owing  to  the  climatic  conditions  has  never  been  troublesome  in 
the  fields.  It  has,  however,  been  very  serious  in  the  eastern  and 
southern  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Cause  and  Appearance. — This  disease  is  caused  by  a  fungus,  Sep- 
toria  lycopersici  Speg..  which  attacks  the  leaves,  causing  the  appearance 
of  numerous  oval  or  circular  spots  about  the  size  of  a  pin  head.  The 
margin  of  these  spots  is  dark  and  the  interior  light  in  color.  Scattered 
through  this  lighter  colored  area  are  small,  black  specks  or  masses, 
which  are  the  pycnidia.  or  fruiting  bodies  of  the  fungus,  containing 
the  spores.  The  lower  leaves  are  the  first  to  become  infected,  and.  if 
seriously  diseased,  turn  yellow  and  die. 

Control. — Spray  the  seed  beds  with  Bordeaux  mixture.  If  the 
plants  are  less  than  6  inches  in  height,  use  3  pounds  of  blue  stone 
and  4  pounds  of  lime  to  50  gallons  of  wrater.     When  the  plants  are 


Bulletin  239]        THE  culture  of  tomatoes  IN  CALIFORNIA 


611 


larger,  use  4  pounds  of  blue  stone  and  5  pounds  of  lime  to  50  gallons 
of  water.  The  spray  should  be  applied  before  the  disease  appears,  or 
as  soon  after  as  possible.  Repeat  the  spraying  as  often  as  necessary 
to  keep  the  plants  well  covered.  When  removing  the  plants  from  the 
seed  bed,  discard  and  burn  all  which  are  badly  diseased,  and  pull  off 
all  infected  leaves  from  those  to  be  transplanted  to  the  field. 

If  the  disease  is  troublesome  in  the  field,  spray  with  Bordeaux  mix- 
ture, using  5  pounds  of  blue  stone,  and  6  pounds  of  lime  to  50  gallons 
of  water. 


'  ■ 

^      ••*  *   *\ 

■PI                      Hr^                                                      *>        a*^BB 

I  r 

.J&k         Mr^                   JHb  •     ***&  ^         ^w  *  '  ^ 

jE  'V 

li   ■  •  ^Bf 

jF 

Fig.  10. — Leaf  Spot  (Septoria  lynopersici) 
some  in  California,  especially  in  seed  beds. 


This  disease  is  occasionally  trouble- 


612  university  of  california experiment  station 

Sunburn 

Occasionally,  in  the  southern  and  interior  portions  of  the  state, 
the  tomatoes  are  burned  by  the  sun  while  they  are  on  the  vines,  as  a 
result  of  which  they  become  pale  yellow  in  color  and  are  rendered 
unlit  for  food. 

Control. — In  the  sections  in  which  there  is  danger  from  sunburn 
a  variety  of  tomato  having  a  dense  foliage  should  be  grown.  Plant 
as  early  in  the  season  as  possible,  so  that  the  vines  will  attain  their 
growth  before  the  approach  of  hot  weather.    Spraying  will  do  no  good. 

Summer  Blight  or  Wilt 

This  disease  has  been  present  for  a  number  of  years  in  many  of 
the  tomato  fields  throughout  the  State  and  has  been  the  cause  of 
enormous  losses.  Since  1905  investigations  as  to  its  cause  and  control 
have  been  carried  on  by  this  Experiment  Station,  and  a  bulletin  will 
probably  be  published  in  the  near  future  reporting  this  work  in  detail. 

Description  of  a  Field  Affected  by  Wilt. — When  a  field  has  become 
affected  by  wilt,  diseased  plants  can  be  seen  scattered  here  and  there, 
the  number  increasing  generally  until  a  large  part  of  the  crop  has 
been  ruined.     In  other  fields  the  disease  makes  very  slow  progress, 


Fig.  11. — Tomato  field  seriously  affected  by  wilt:  Plants  are  killed  in  a 
promiscuous  manner  and  in  this  picture  only  a  few  are  left  in  the  foreground. 
The  disease  is  very  obscure  and  has  probably  not  been  understood. 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA 


613 


Fig.  12. — Tomato  plant  seriously  affected  by  wilt:  A  plant  with  this  disease 
slowly  withers  and  dies  without  any  insect  or  fungus  being  present  to  which  the 
trouble  can  be  ascribed. 


Fig.  13. — Leaves  of  wilt  infected  plant  showing  characteristic  roll:    This  and 
the  purple  color  of  the  veins  are  the  early  symptoms  of  the  disease. 


614  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

affecting  only  a  few  plants  throughout  the  entire  season.  When  a 
plant  becomes  diseased,  its  condition  has  no  effect  on  others.  A 
diseased  plant  is  oftentimes  surrounded  by  perfectly  healthy  vines, 
and  in  many  cases  large  tomato  fields  contain  only  one  plant  which 
has  been  affected  by  wilt.  From  a  distance  a  badly  affected  field 
resembles  one  in  which  the  stand  of  plants  is  very  poor,  but  upon 
closer  examination  these  apparently  vacant  spaces  will  be  found  to 
contain  dead  plants.  Figure  11  shows  a  field  with  many  plants  dead 
and  many  of  the  remaining  vines  diseased. 

Description  of  a  Plant  Affected  by  Wilt. — When  a  plant  first 
becomes  affected  by  wilt,  growth  stops,  the  color  becomes  unhealthy 
like  that  of  a  plant  which  is  getting  insufficient  nourishment.  The 
leaves  soon  roll  upward,  become  purple,  and  often  turn  a  sickly  yellow- 
ish color.  Upon  closer  examination  it  is  found  that  this  purpling  is 
in  the  veins  of  the  leaves  and  is  more  noticeable  on  the  under  surface. 
In  rare  cases  one-half  of  the  leaf  from  the  vein  to  the  edge  will  be 
purple  and  the  other  will  remain  apparently  normal.  All  the  leaves 
show  the  disease  at  about  the  same  time.  If  a  diseased  branch  be  cut 
from  a  plant  the  leaves  will  retain  their  purple  color  and  will  not 
droop  as  soon  as  the  leaves  of  a  detached  healthy  branch.  Although 
this  purple  coloring  in  the  veins  of  the  leaves  is  a  characteristic  of 
this  disease  it  seems  to  be  secondary;  for  in  the  autumn  when  the 
nights  are  cold  and  the  days  are  warm  this  purple  color  can  often 
be  found  in  those  leaves  of  healthy  plants  which  have  their  under 
surfaces  exposed  to  the  sun.  In  the  spring  and  summer,  this  purple 
color  is  unnatural  and  during  these  seasons  may  be  considered  as 
showing  an  abnormal  condition  of  the  plants.  The  central  cylinder 
of  an  affected  plant  often  completely  dries  up  leaving  a  hollow  core. 
If  the  top  of  one  of  these  plants  be  cut  off  at  the  ground  it  will  bleed 
very  little,  showing  a  scarcity  of  sap. 

After  a  plant  has  been  killed  by  this  disease  the  main  branches 
remain  in  their  normal  positions.  The  leaves  and  extremities  of  the 
stems  and  laterals  finally  droop  and  dry  up,  sometimes  remaining  in 
this  position  until  the  end  of  the  season.  When  a  plant  is  killed  early 
in  its  growth,  the  leaves  are  often  blown  away  by  the  wind.  No 
unnatural  spots  on  the  leaves,  stems,  or  fruit,  have  been  seen  in  con- 
nection with  this  disease.  The  roots  of  a  plant  affected  by  the  wilt 
appear  to  be  normal. 

The  following  brief  observations  are  given  at  this  time  with  the 
hope  that  they  will  be  of  some  value  to  the  grower.  Our  experiments 
have  proved  that  the  occurrence  or  the  amount  of  wilt  is  not  influenced 
by  rotation  of  crops,  character  of  the  soil,  amount  of  soil  moisture, 


Bulletin  239]        THE  CULTURE  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA  615 

preparation  of  the  soil,  or  care  of  the  plants  in  the  seed  bed  or  in 
the  field.  During  this  investigation,  tomato  plants  from  twelve  varieties 
were  grown,  but  all  were  affected  about  alike.  The  varieties  tested 
were  Stone,  Trophy,  Sparks  Earliana,  Atlantic  Prize,  Fifty  Days, 
The  Earliest,  June  Pink,  Earliest  Pink,  Greater  Baltimore,  Five  Mil- 
lion Dollar,  Ponderosa,  and  two  local  varieties. 

There  is  a  close  relation  between  the  appearance  of  this  disease 
and  the  season  of  planting.  Plants  which  are  set  in  the  fields  during 
early  spring  are  much  more  liable  to  become  affected  than  those  which 
are  planted  after  the  middle  of  June.  The  date  of  the  first  appear- 
ance of  the  wilt  is  dependent  to  a  large  extent  upon  the  temperature. 
It  generally  begins  to  appear  soon  after  the  first  hot  weather  of  the 
spring. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  TOMATO  INDUSTRY 

The  tomato,5  or  love  apple,  originated  in  Peru  and  was  first  named 
by  botanists  in  the  sixteenth  century. 

In  Europe  the  tomato0  first  came  into  general  use  in  Italy  and 
Spain  where  it  was  used  during  the  17th  century  for  soups  and  salads. 
In  Japan  and  China  it  has  been  cultivated  only  during  the  past  cen- 
tury. It  was  first  mentioned  as  being  grown  in  America  for  culinary 
use  about  1781.  Mr.  W.  W.  Tracy  found  tomatoes  first  regularly 
quoted  in  the  American  markets  at  New  Orleans  in  1812.  The  seeds 
were  first  offered  for  sale  as  those  of  an  edible  vegetable  by  seedsmen 
in  1818. 

Up  to  the  19th  century  the  tomato  was  popularly  regarded  as 
poisonous  and  this  opinion  was  held  by  many  as  late  as  1829.  After 
1835  the  demand  for  it  increased  until,  at  the  present  time,  tomatoes 
are  considered  to  be  one  of  the  most  healthful  vegetables  grown. 

Growth  of  the  Tomato  Industry  in  the  United  States. — During  the 
past  fifty  years  the  growth  of  the  tomato  industry  in  the  United  States 
has  been  phenomenal,  and  the  amount  of  land  devoted  to  it  has 
increased  from  a  few  home  gardens  to  nearly  a  half  million  acres. 
The  amount  of  tomatoes  canned  in  the  United  States  has  increased 
from  3,000,000  cases  (a  case  contains  24  cans)  in  1887  to  over 
13,000,000  cases  in  1907.7  From  1900  to  1906  the  average  yearly  con- 
sumption of  tomatoes  in  the  United  States  was  approximately  9,000,000 

s  Alphonse  De  Candolle — Origin  of  Cultivated  Plants,  pp.  290-291. 
6  The  dates  mentioned  in  this  and  the  following  paragraph  were  taken   from 
W.  W.  Tracy's  book  entitled  "Tomato  Culture,"  pp.  16-19. 
"  California  Fruit  Grower,  December  11,  1909,  p.  63. 


616  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 

cases.8  During  the  season  of  1907  there  were  13,467,476  cases  of 
tomatoes  packed  in  the  United  States.9  In  the  year  1908  the  pack 
was  11,479,000  cases  and  about  8,000,000  cases  in  1910.10  During  the 
season  of  1911  the  output  of  canned  tomatoes  in  the  United  States 
was  about  ^O^OO.11 

Aside  from  the  tomatoes  grown  for  the  canneries,  there  is  an 
enormous  acreage  devoted  to  growing  tomatoes  for  the  markets  through- 
out the  United  States  and  Canada. 

The  Tomato  Industry  in  California. — Tomato  growing  in  this  State 
has  been  an  important  industry  for  many  years.  The  long  season  of 
continuous  moderate  weather  through  which  this  crop  can  grow,  makes 
it  especially  profitable.  There  is  a  much  larger  acreage  devoted  to 
growing  tomatoes  for  the  canneries  than  for  the  markets.  During  the 
season  of  1906  there  were  over  1,000,000  cases  of  tomatoes  packed  in 
this  State,  which,  according  to  the  figures  compiled  by  the  American 
Grocer,  made  California  rank  as  the  third  state  in  the  Union  in  the 
amount  of  canned  tomatoes  produced.12  In  1907  California  stood 
second  with  a  pack  of  1,283,099  cases.  This  was  the  largest  pack  ever 
put  up  in  California  up  to  that  time.13 

The  tomato  pack  in  California  during  the  season  of  1911  was 
1,515,450  cases.14  and  was  the  largest  amount  of  tomatoes  ever  packed 
in  this  State.  It  has  been  estimated  that  7,200  acres  of  tomatoes  were 
grown  during  the  season  of  1911  for  the  canneries  in  the  State. 

The  Fresh  Tomato  Industry. — The  following  account  of  the  status 
of  the  Fresh  Tomato  Industry  of  California  was  written  by  Mr.  H.  S. 
Hazeltine,  of  the  California  Vegetable  Union  at  our  request : 

"Tomatoes  were  first  shipped  out  of  California  in  small  lots,  by 
express,  about  the  year  1900,  but  little  progress  was  made  in  the  indus- 
try until  the  California  Vegetable  Union  began  to  ship  them  by 
freight  in  mixed  cars  with  other  vegetables,  as  the  local  express  charges 
were  so  exorbitant  that  there  was  little  left  for  the  grower  when 
shipping  in  that  way.  The  freight  shipments  enabled  us  to  deliver 
the  tomatoes  in  eastern  markets  at  such  a  figure  that  the  people  in 
average  circumstances  could  afford  to  buy  them.  As  a  consequence 
a  demand  was  developed  all  over  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and 

s  California  Fruit  Grower,  December  22,  1906,  p.  21. 

9  Ibid.,  December  19,  1908,  p.  71. 

io  Ibid.,  December  24,  1910,  p.  12. 

n  Ibid.,  January  27,  1912,  p.  12. 

12  Ibid.,  December  14,  1907,  p.  19. 

is  Ibid.,  December  19,  1908,  p.  71. 

14  Ibid.,  March  23,   1912,  p.  6. 


Bulletin  239]        THE  culture  OF  TOMATOES  IN  CALIFORNIA  617 

in  1905  car  lots  were  shipped  to  the  larger  markets  such  as  New  York. 
Philadelphia,  Boston,  Chicago,  Kansas  City,  and  New  Orleans.  Now. 
cities  with  a  population  of  100,000  throughout  the  United  States  and 
Canada  are  buying  in  carload  lots,  and  the  demand  is  increasing 
yearly  at  the  same  rate  as  for  other  commodities,  or  perhaps  faster, 
since  the  tomato  is  a  very  popular  fruit  or  vegetable,  which  ever  you 
may  choose  to  term  it.  The  shipments  out  of  the  state  now  amount 
to  about  300  carloads  each  season.  Shipments  begin  about  the  15th 
of  September  and  increase  as  the  tomatoes  are  destroyed  by  frost  in 
the  East,  which  is  usually  about  October  1st.  Shipments  continue 
until  the  crop  is  destroyed  by  rains  or  frost  in  California,  usually 
about  the  middle  of  December.  The  market  is  always  strong  at  the 
close  of  the  season,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  frostless  locality 
could  not  be  found  in  California  to  take  care  of  this  demand  through- 
out the  winter,  but  such  a  locality  has  not  been  found  yet;  therefore 
we  are  obliged  to  draw  our  supplies  from  Mexico  during  mid-winter. 

A  carload  of  tomatoes  contains  about  700  four-basket  crates  of 
25  pounds  each,  and  brings  an  average  of  about  forty  cents  a  crate 
net  to  the  grower.  The  average  planting  each  year  in  California  for 
eastern  shipment  is  about  2000  acres.  The  average  yield  per  acre 
during  the  shipping  season  of  three  months,  is  about  four  tons. 

The  tomato  industry  of  California  is  now  on  a  sound  basis  both 
from  a  commercial  and  financial  standpoint.  The  California  tomato 
is  the  best  produced  in  the  country  and  is  in  great  favor  with  the 
eastern  trade  and  consumer.  It  is  considered  a  very  profitable  crop 
by  the  growers  and  is  ranked  as  one  of  California's  staple  products 
at  the  present  time,  with  a  splendid  future  before  it  as  the  western 
territory  develops,  since  we  have  little  or  no  competition  from  any 
tomato  growing  section  west  of  the  Missouri  River." 


STATION   PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE    FOR   DISTRIBUTION 
REPORTS 

1897.      Resistant  Vines,   their   Selection,  Adaptation,   and  Grafting.     Appendix  to  Viticultural 
Report  for   1896. 

1902.  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment   Station  for  1898-1901. 

1903.  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  1901-03. 

1904.  Twenty-second    Report    of    the    Agricultural    Experiment    Station    for    1903-04. 

BULLETINS 


No.    12J 


133. 

147. 

164. 

167. 

168. 

169. 

170. 
171. 

174. 
177. 

178. 
179. 

181. 
182. 

183. 
184. 

185. 

186. 
187. 

188. 

189. 
192. 
194. 
195. 
197. 


198. 
199. 


Nature,  Value,  and  Utilization  of 
Alkali  Lands,  and  Tolerance 
of  Alkali.  (Revised  and  Re- 
printed,   1905.) 

Tolerance  of  Alkali  by  Various 
Cultures. 

Culture  Work  of  the  Sub-sta- 
tions. 

Poultry  Feeding  and  Proprie- 
tary Foods. 

Manufacture  of  Dry  Wines  in 
Hot   Countries. 

Observations  on  Some  Vine 
Diseases  in  Sonoma  County. 

Tolerance  of  the  Sugar  Beet  for 
Alkali. 

Studies   in   Grasshopper  Control. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June 
30,    1905.) 

A  New  Wine-cooling  Machine. 

A  New  Method  of  Making  Dry 
Red   Wine. 

Mosquito    Control. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June, 
1906.) 

The   Selection   of   Seed-Wheat. 

Analyses  of  Paris  Green  and 
Lead  Arsenate.  Proposed  In- 
secticide   Law. 

The    California    Tussock-moth. 

Report  of  the  Plant  Pathologist 
to   July   1,    1906. 

Report  of  Progress  in  Cereal 
Investigations. 

The   Oidium   of  the   Vine. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Janu- 
ary,   1907.) 

Lining  of  Ditches  and  Reser- 
voirs to  Prevent  Seepage 
Losses. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June. 
1907.)  , 

Insects  Injurious  to  the  Vine  in 
California. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Dec, 
1907.) 

The  California  Grape  Root- 
worm. 

Grape  Culture  in  California; 
Improved  Methods  of  Wine- 
making;  Yeast  from  California 
Grapes. 

The    Grape    Leaf-Hopper. 

Bovine  Tuberculosis. 


No.   201.      Commercial    Fertilizers.       (June, 
1908.) 

202.  Commercial      Fertilizers.         (De- 

cember,   1908.) 

203.  Report  of  the   Plant  Pathologist 

to  July   1,    1909.) 

204.  The    Dairy    Cow's    Record    and 

the    Stable. 

205.  Commercial      Fertilizers.         (De- 

cember,   1909.) 

206.  Commercial    Fertilizers.       (June, 

1910.) 

207.  The     Control     of    the     Argentine 

Ant. 

208.  The  Late  Blight  of  Celery. 

209.  The   Cream   Supply. 

210.  Imperial    Valley     Settlers'     Crop 

Manual. 

211.  How    to    Increase    the    Yield    of 

Wheat   in   California. 

212.  California    White    Wheats. 

213.  The    Principles   of   Wine-making. 

214.  Citrus  Fruit  Insects. 

215.  The  Housefly   in   its  Relation   to 

Public    Health. 

216.  A     Progress     Report    upon     Soil 

and  Climatic  Factors.  Influenc- 
ing the  Composition  of  Wheat. 

217.  Honey    Plants   of    California. 

218.  California    Plant   Diseases. 

219.  Report  of  Live  Stock  Conditions 

in  Imperial  County,  California. 

220.  Fumigation  Studies  No.  5;   Dos- 

age  Tables. 

222.  The  Red  or  Orange  Scale. 

223.  The  Black   Scale. 

224.  The     Production     of     the     Lima 

Bean. 

225.  Tolerance      of     Eucalyptus      for 

Alkali. 

226.  The  Purple   Scale. 

227.  Grape   Vinegar. 

230.      Enological   Investigations. 

232.  Commercial   Fertilizers. 

233.  Three  Years'  Work  of  the  F'ern- 

dale    (Humboldt   County)    Cow 
Testing  Association. 

234.  Red  Spiders  and  Mites  of  Citrus 

Trees. 

235.  Further  Proof  of  the  Cause  and 

Infectiousness   of   Crown    Gall. 

236.  The     Economic     Value     of     the 

Western    Meadowlark    in    Cali- 
fornia. 

237.  Pork   Production   under   Califor- 

nia Conditions. 


CIRCULARS 


No.      1.      Texas  Fever. 

9.      Asparagus  Rust. 

Preliminary  Announcement  Con- 
cerning Instruction  in  Prac- 
tical Agriculture  upon  the  Uni- 
versity Farm,  Davis,  Cal. 

Suggestions  for  Garden  Work  in 
California    Schools. 

Information  for  Students  Con- 
cerning the  College  of  Agricul- 
ture. 

Farmers'  Institute  and  Univer- 
sity   Extension    in    Agriculture. 

Butter  Scoring  Contest,  1910. 

University  Farm   School. 

The  School  Garden  in  the  Course 
of   Study. 

How  to  Make  an  Observation 
Hive. 

The  California  Insecticide  Law. 

Insecticides  and  Insect  Control. 

Development  of  Secondary  School 
of    Agriculture    in    California. 

The  Prevention  of  Hog  Cholera. 

The  Extermination  of  Morning- 
Glory. 

Observation  of  the  Status  of  Corn 
Growing    in    California. 

Rice. 

A  New  Leakage  Gauge. 

Hot   Room    Callusing. 

Universitv   Farm    School. 


29. 


4G. 


55. 

60. 
61. 
62. 

63. 

65. 
66. 


69. 


74. 
75. 


77. 


No.    78.      Announcement   of   Farmers'    Short 
Courses  for  1912. 
79.      List   of   Insecticide  Dealers. 

Boys'    and   Girls'    Clubs. 

Sweet  Pea  Growing  Clubs. 

The  Common  Ground  Squirrels  of 
California. 

Potato  Growing  Clubs. 

Mushrooms  and  Toadstools. 

A  Preliminary  Report  of  a 
Nematode  Observed  on  Citrus 
Roots  and  its  Possible  Relation 
with  the  Mottled  Appearance  of 
Citrus  Trees. 

Olives   in   California. 

Alfalfa. 

Advantages  to  the  Breeder  in 
Testing  his  Pure-bred  Cows  for 
the  Register  of  Merit. 

Hog   Cholera    and   its    Prevention. 

Tuberculosis   in   Cattle   and   Hogs 

Disinfection  on  the  Farm. 

Infectious  Abortion  and  Sterility 
in   Cows. 

Bean  Growing  Clubs. 

The  Dairyman's  Relation  to  Qual- 
ity. 

Detecting  Dairy  Losses. 

Pork  Production. 

Increasing   Dairy    Profits. 

Plowing  and  Cultivating  Soils  in 
California. 

Hatching  and  Rearing  of  Chicks. 


80. 
81. 


83. 
84. 
85. 


86. 
87. 


90. 

91. 


93. 
94. 


96. 
97. 

98. 

99. 


